Many men and women entering a life of sobriety are not accustomed to having fun without the use of alcohol or drugs. For many of us, our sole source of pleasure was derived from substances and we cannot imagine ever experiencing the same sense of joy without being under the influence. Many of us forget,…
The 12th Step of Alcoholics Anonymous states: “Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs”. We are encouraged to carry these spiritual principles with us through our daily lives. The core principles of the program…
Pete Doherty, singer of The Libertines and Babyshambles, reflected on the beginnings of his heroin addiction in a 2014 Independent article. “To me,” he said, “it wasn’t a dirty street drug, it was this magic potion I read about. It was Kubla Khan, Thomas DeQuincy, Oscar Wilde: it was an aspect of their world that…
The first step on the path toward sobriety is detoxifying the body of drugs and alcohol. Healing can only begin once our system has been purged of any remnants of substances. The process can be overwhelming and painful. Without proper medical assistance through detoxification, it can cause an array of health risks or even death.…
There is a common stereotype of creative individuals as dark and brooding, hunched over a desk or canvas. The reality, however, is that creative expression actually makes us happier. The act of expressing that which we cannot articulate opens us up to a new method of communication, allowing us to show our inner thoughts and…
Many men and women enter into recovery programs with the belief that, if they can break their addiction to their specific drug of choice, they will still be able to drink or even use other drugs that they felt they didn’t have a problem with. The disease of addiction, however, is not dependent on our…
The 12th step of Alcoholics Anonymous states: “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs”. As men and women who have experiences the joys of sobriety, we choose to share our experience, strength, and hope with…
History is rife with stories of great artists deeply entrenched in drug or alcohol addiction. Many men and women attempt to use substances as means of boosting their creativity, but research has shown that drug-use does not enhance creativity, rather, it diminishes our ability for creative thought. Drugs rewire our brains, an experience that…
Many men and women who choose to enter into a life of sobriety believe that Alcoholics Anonymous is a program solely for those who have problems with alcohol. At face-value, this makes sense, and some people in the recovery community firmly believe that Alcoholics Anonymous is for treating the disease of alcoholism, which Narcotics Anonymous…